Oct. 22, 2010
WACO, Texas - The Baylor men's tennis team will take part in its second Intercollegiate Tennis Association event of the fall season, when five members of the team travel to the George P. Mitchell Tennis Center in College Station, Texas, to participate in the USTA/ITA Texas Regional, Oct. 23-26.
"Again, I think it is just another chance to play a lot of good matches," head coach Matt Knoll said of this weekend's tournament. "We are lucky that are region is a strong region. A ton of very good players will be there, so it is just a great chance for our guys to get some more good competition and keeping improving."
The event is one of 12 regionals held around the country in the month of October with the singles and doubles champion from each site qualifying for the 2010 USTA/ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships. The national tournament is slated for Nov. 4-7, at the new indoor facilities at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, located in Flushing, New York.
Senior John Peers, ranked No. 28 by the ITA, headlines the group of Bears traveling to the event, while juniors Julian Bley and Kike Grangeiro, sophomore Roberto Maytin and freshman Robert Verzaal complete the list of Baylor participants. Four of the five Bears competed at the Futures of Mansfield tournament over the past week with Bley not playing in the event.
"The guys have really worked hard in practice the last couple of weeks," Knoll said. "I feel great about the direction we are going and match play is an important part of the developmental cycle. We are excited to get out and play a bunch of matches."
On the season Peers is 5-2, while competing in two tournaments. The two losses for the Australian native, came against opponents ranked inside the top 25. While the results from Futures of Mansfield are not factored into any of the Baylor players' record, Peers went 0-1 at the tournament after falling in the first round of qualifying.
Bley has had to deal with some bumps and bruises, while losing his last two matches, after starting the fall with three straight wins. Bley was scheduled to play at the Futures event, but did not join the other five Bears at that competition.
Grangeiro has two wins over ranked opponents this season in two fall tournaments as part of a 3-2 overall record. Last week, Grangeiro won his opening round qualifying match, but then fell to Frenchman Antoine Benneteauin in second round action.
Maytin has had an up and down start to the season going 4-3 in two fall tournaments. The Valencia, Venezuela, native, got of the gate with four straight wins, but has struggled as of late losing his last three college matches. However, he went 3-1 in Mansfield and joined Sergio Ramirez as the only Bears to advance out of the qualifying draw.
Verzaal will be playing in his third college tournament as a Bear looking to improve on a 1-4 record. The Shreveport, Louisiana, product, went 2-1 in the Futures qualifying bracket before losing to teammate Maytin in the qualifying finals.
The Bears will have two doubles tandems competing in the event with Maytin and Peers pairing together and Bley and Grangeiro teaming up. The first Baylor tandem is ranked No. 57 in the ITA's first poll, but the duo has already posted a 6-1 record. The bulk of those wins came on the way to earning the Baylor Intercollegiate doubles crown. Peers and Maytin did fall in their last match at the ITA All-American in Tulsa, Okla.
As partners, Bley and Grangeiro are 2-1, but the duo has not played a tournament contest since a Sept. 25 loss at the Baylor Intercollegiate.
"It is a big draw that is played over a short time," Knoll said. "Some guys will play two singles and two doubles matches in the same day, which is just a ton of tennis. We are really forward to just getting down there and competing."
Complete draws for this weekend's events will be released on Friday night. Visit HERE for updated brackets and schedules.
